Momentum-absorber for adding-machines.



C. N. NMMLANDv L G. WALES.

'PATENTED FEBx 25, P308,

MOMENTM ABSORBBR FOR ADDING MACHINES,

APPLICATION FILED $319121?, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEAET l.

-U. N. MGFARLAND C. WALES. MOMENTUM ABSGRBER Artes-t: ,1, W 7%@ Il' l 1 No: 880,58. l PAENTEDA PEB. 25, 1908.

N. MGARLAND L G. WALES. MOMENTUM ABSORBER FORYADDING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT,17, 1906.

f UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

CHARLES N. MCEAELAND, or KINGSTON, PENNSYLVANIA', AND CHARLES wALEs; or CLEVE- LAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOES 'ro-TIIEADDEPv MACHINE COMPANY, or KINGSTON, PENNsYL- vANIA, A CORPORATION OE PENNSYLVANIA.

MOIhmNTUM-ABSORBER FOR ADDING-MCHINES. I

lApplication filed September 1.7.1906. Serial No. 335.027-

Specficaton of II letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1908.

Ohio, have invented certain new and useful constant tension of the return springs.

Improvements in Momentum-Absorbers for Adding-llachines, of which the following is a specification.

Our'invention relates to calculating niachines and more'particularly to those in which the accumulating and printing 'mechanisms are actuated by a vibratory shaft Whichreceives its Inotion in one direction manually or from a mot-or and. to which the rearward motion is imparted by springs ,which are charged during the forward stroke.

The result accomplished through our invention is the easy return of the actuating mechanisnnl and other parts of the machine controlled thereby to their normal positions, by preventing undue acceleration in ,the movement of the parts which are subject to the .A device for substantially the same purpose is shown in Letters Patent of the U nited States N o. 759,944, issued to Charles Wales, oneof the 'present applicants, and the subject matter of this application may, ina sense, be considered, as an improvement on that device.

In machines of the class referred to, the items to be added are set up in the machine by the depression of keys and thc actuating shaft is then oscillated, or vibrated, usually by the forward motion of a manually operated'handle. A main spring secured to any one of the main moving parts of the machine is put under tension by this forward motion and it is the exertion of the storedv energy in this spring which brings thel parts back to their initial positions. Then the forward motion ofthe handle has been com pletcd and the return vibration of the shaft has begun, the motion of the parts under the influence of the main spring is at first easy and smooth but the parts soon acquire an undesirable momentum. It is the purpose of ourinvention to absorb this excessive momentum, but to allow a sufliciently speedyV return of the parts to their normal positions. I

The means which we `employ consists briefly of a rotatable wheel,I actuated by the energy stored in the main spring which wheel also carries a centrifugal brake which becomes effective against its cooperating friction surface proportionately to the increases in speed of rotation of the wheel and the brake. lnaddition to this, after the parts moved from the main shaft have been returned to their initial positions, a supplemental brake is employed which quickly stops the further rotation of the primary brake plate by bringing to bear upon it the full force of the pressureI of the main spring. The device is also rendered almost, if not quite, noiseless by the use of appropriate cushions upon parts of the primary brake plate so that the noise as well as the Ino mentum is absorbed. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred form of mechanism en1- bodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the parts on the plane 'of the line2-2 .in Fig.r 1 and a side elevation of Some of the parts; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the friction surface., the rotary brake and its wings; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the brake pawl. A 5

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the base of the machine upon which all of the parts are mounted. 2 and 3 are side frames adapted to support the mechanism arranged above that. ln these frames are suitable apertures serving as bearings for the vibrating actuating shaft 4 o f the machine which is rocked bya handle (not shownlmanually n-lovcd by thel operator,or in any other suitable manner. This shaftis connected by two rods and 6 to a vibrating frame 7 from which some of the parts of the machinel rcceivc their movement. It is not necessary to describe or illustrate Such parts as they form no part of our invention. The calculating machine itself is of the type shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States issued to Charles 'Vales, September i5, i903, No. 797,032.

Two brackets 1() and 11 are mounted upon the base 1 and together with parts of the side frames 2 and 3 Support a bar 12 transversely mounted across the machine. Below the bar 12 is a pin to which there is secured one end of a main spring 13, the other end of which spring is secured to` a link 14 pivoted Y I Adaptedto rotate around this pivot is a disk -or plate 26 having a downwardly projecting .30

'plementary devices aiding the action of the with supplementary brakes 3() and 3l which `are secured to the shaft Ll and move with 1t.

' of springs 38, 38, and which are adapted to Ward the operator who stands in front of the machine, and the parts connected with the vibrating frame 7 are moved thereby, the main spring 13 is stretched to an ,extent determined by the arc through which theshaft has been moved, which arc is usually 60 or more. When the shaft'is released, the energy stored in the spring i3 is employed to retract the parts to their initial position and whiletheir movement at first may be easy and smooth, these parts soon acquire an undesirable momentum and develop a tendency to dislocate the mechanism. lt is the purpose of this invention, as above set forth, to absorb the momentum so developed. To that end we provide a suitable brake normally out of. contact with an adjacent friction surface against which the brake is brought to bear together with various suparts. i p Mounted upon the base of the machine is a ring 2() secured by screws 21, 2, or in any other suitable manner, and the inner periphery 2.2 of lwhich forms a friction surface against which the brake will act.

The brake 25 comprises a-cent-ral pivot 40.

rib 27 and provided with an upper annular frictlon. surface 28 adapted to cooperate Pivoted eccentrically upon the brake plate or disk 26 are two substantiallyT semi-circular friction Wings or plates 29 threaded screw bolts 32, 32, serving to hold the wings upon their pivots@ Each wing is provided with a friction lug 33 adapted to be brought intdcontaot with the friction ring 20 and its inner-,surface 22 preferably near the pivotal point of the wine. These wings 2S) lie on each side of the rib 27 and are each provided with a pad 34 forming.,r a cushion to soften the contact between the Wingsyand rib 27.

Mounted above the dislr 26 anll secured to or made integral therewith is a ratchet. wheel 35. Above it and on the same pivot isv a pawl disk 36 to which, on its lower surface, are secured two pawls, 37, 37, under tension cooperate with the teeth of the ratchet Wheel 35. Secured to the disk 36 is a sprocket Wheel 41 and above it and holding all of the parts on the pivot el() is a screw 42. Secured to the vibrating frame is a forked arm or pair of links, 43, connected to a sprocket chain i4 adapted to encircle the sprocket Wheel Lt1 and the other end of which chain is. secured to a tension spring 45 fastened to the rod. The operation ofthe device is as follows VlhenY the actuating shaft isI moved toward the Operator and the vibrating frame 7 angl` its connected parts have been moved there by, the forward oscillation of the trame moves thelinlis 43 and the sprocket chainfet and permits the tension of the sp fing 45 to pull the chain around the sprocket Wheel` 41,

which, together with the disk 36 vrotates readily because the paw-ls 37 do-not engage -with the teeth on the ratchet wheel 35 when moving in that direction anddo not move said ratchet wheel. `When the handle .is releasedror 'the actuating shaft is otherwise permitted to return to its initial 'position under tension of the spring 13, the vibrating frame is moved in the reverse direction. This movement is communicated throueh the chain 44 to the sprocket wlneelil,I tie pawl disk 36 engaging the pawls 37, 37, with the ratchet wheel 35, thereby starting the entire mass of metal in the disk 26 and wings' 29 in rotary motion, thus absorbing tempo# rarily the energy of the springT i3. its the speed of the rotation o'r the parts 26 and 2Q increases under the constant energy of f spring 1.3, the centrifugal force developed therein tends to throw out radially the Wings 29, which must swing on the pivot screws 32 und brings the. friction surfaces Btagainst the co'iperating friction surface 22 of the ring; and owing to the greater leverage duc to the location of the friction surfaces con tact withl the ring with zmuch more force than if they were located near the free end of the Wings. it the rotation of the disk 26 is relatively great, a great amount of friction is naturally developed between the Awings 29 and the friction ring 20, and this friction tends to absorb the momentum of the parts promptly as it is developed and to bring the brake plate and its connecting parts to a stop.

brake, and its cotiperating ring have perfori oedtheir fnnctions't is desirable that the brake itsel" It is evident that after the rote v 'ice should be quickly brought to rest and its brake disk 26 prevented from further rotation. This is accomplished by means of the brakes 30 and 51, which are secured to the shaft et and Inove with it. Thesefbralres comprise arms provided on their extremities with shoes, which, by the oscillation of the shaft are brought into Contact with the fric'M tion surt'aeeQS on the upper side of the disk 26, and` as the shaft i reaches the end of its stroke, these shoes, coming incon'tact with lis posed between the surfaces for the purpose a vibratory, shaft, devices actuated thereby, el' preventing such noise and lessening the elastic means adapted to retract the 'shaft to force of contact between these parts. its initial position and means adapted to pre- 45 What We claim as new is l vent a too-sudden return of said devices to 1. In a machine of the character described, ,l their initial positions, a rotary brake and ina vibra-tory shaft, devices actuated thereby, dependent means adapted to bring it quickly elastic means adapted to retract the shaft to to rest after the shaft has been retracted to its' initial position and means ada `)ted to preits initial position, comprising one or more 50 vent a too-sudden return of said devices .to brake shoes carried by the shaft-.and adapted their initial positions, including a friction to contact with a rotating part of the brake, ring, 'a rotating plate pivoted centrally' withand upon which shoes the force of the elastic in said ring moved by the retraction of said ,"retracting means is brought to bear. A elastic means and provided with a diametric 5. In a machine of the character described, 55 rib, a plurality of substantially semi-circular a vibratory shaft, devices actuated therebyy members each pivoted eccentrically on the elasticmeans adapted to retractv the shaft .t outside of said rib normally in contact thereits initial position and means adapted to prel with, and lugs on the peripheries of said i vent a toosudden return of said'dcvices to members near their pivotal points adapted to e thrown in contact with the inner surface i prising a friction ring, a plate centrally pivof said friction ring by the centrifugal force Il oted therein, Wings eceentrically pivoted to l of rotation of the plate. the' plate adapted to contact vvith the inner 9 surface of the ring, and a brake shoe rigidly secured to the vibratory shaftand adapted 65 in a machine of the character described, a vibratory shaft, devices actuated thereby elastic means adapted to retract the shaft to its initial position and means adapted to prevent a too-sudden return of said devices to their initial positions, a rotaryl brake, an independent means adapted to bring it quickly to rest after the shaft has been retracted to to contact with the rotating plate at the end of the movement thereof.

In witness whereof, the said CHARLES N. MCFARLAND has afxed his signature hereto its .initial position.

3. In a machine ofthe character described, a vibratory shaft, devices actuated thereby, elastic means adapted to retract the shaft to its initial position and means adapted to prevent a too-sudden return of said devices to their initial positions, a rotary brake and independent means adapted to bring it quiclrly to rest after the shaft has beenretracted to its initial position, comprising one or more brake shoes carried by the shaft and adapted to contact with rotating art of the brake.

4. In a machine of the c iaracter described,

CHARLES N. .MCFAELAND onAnLEs WALES.

Witnesses as to Charles N. McFarland:

PAYNE, CHAs. M. SNYDER. 'itnesses as to Charles Wales: I. SCHNELL, l i F. S. WHEELER.

their initial positions, a rotary brake com- 60 in the presence of two witnesses, at Kmgs- 70 

